Madison bus driver resigns over comment to students

A Madison School District bus driver has lost his job after making a remark that he would “shoot” students if they attended the district’s Family Fun Night on April 12.

According to Madison Superintendent Jim Hartley, bus driver Kevin Farson was just beginning his route transporting elementary school students last Friday afternoon when he said on the bus loudspeaker that if any of the children were going to attend the Family Fun Night that night at the school, he would “shoot” them.

According to Hartley, Farson later told him that he immediately followed the comment by saying he was “just kidding.”

Farson made the comment before he left the Madison schools parking lot, Hartley said. That would have been between 3:45 and 4 p.m., he said.

Hartley said he first heard about the incident at about 5:30 p.m., just before the Family Fun Night began, when a parent came to the school and told him about it.

Hartley said he questioned Farson, who was volunteering at the event, and Farson acknowledged he had made the comment. He told Farson to leave the Family Fun Night, which Farson did, and he suspended Farson for three days, Hartley said.

“Nonetheless, he made an extremely inappropriate comment that never should have been,” Hartley said.

Hartley said he did not report the incident to police because he did not believe Farson had any intent to harm students.

Madison Township Police Chief Mike Shadbolt said he first heard about the incident Tuesday evening when some members of the public brought it up during a meeting of a township committee discussing police services.

“If it was something of that nature, I think the police should have been contacted,” Shadbolt said Wednesday morning.

Later Wednesday, Shadbolt said he had talked to Hartley, and Hartley told him he did not believe there was a real threat.

Hartley said Farson had worked for the district for nine years and there was nothing in his record to indicate a problem.

Farson was a dedicated employee who, among other things, volunteered to wash buses on weekends, Hartley said.

An attempt Wednesday to talk to Farson at a home address listed by an Internet service was unsuccessful. In a phone message to the Telegram Thursday morning, Hartley said he had been informed that Farson had moved out of the state of Michigan.

Several Madison schools parents who contacted the Telegram Wednesday said they believe the Family Fun Night should have been canceled, Farson should have been fired immediately, and Hartley should order all the school doors be locked.

None of the parents wanted to give their names for publication.

Hartley said Wednesday that only the main doors of the high school, middle school and elementary school buildings are unlocked, the main offices of each school are just inside the doors, and anyone coming in is immediately observed.

The district has safety protocols in place and they have been thoroughly reviewed, Hartley said.

“We’re not making changes in our (safety practices) because of something we don’t believe is a threat,” Hartley said.